The Resume

(October 15, 1938-August 2, 1997)
Birth name was Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti
Frequent critic of corrupt Nigerian regimes
Founder of the recording studio/compound The Shrine
Founder of the political party Movement of the People
Died of AIDS-related sarcoma

Why he might be annoying:

He married 27 of his backup singers in a ceremony at the Shrine and demanded total submission from them.
He was a heavy cannabis user.
He changed his name to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, wreaking havoc with record catalogs everywhere.
'Anikulapo' means 'he who carries death in his pouch.'
Most of his songs are extended workouts reaching a half-hour in length.
He gave most of his performances smeared in war paint and wearing only briefs.
He used cryptic initials for song titles (ITT, JJD, MOP, CBB, etc.)
His mother died from injuries suffered in an army raid at the Shrine. He sent her coffin to the Nigerian Presidential Palace in protest ('Coffin for Head of State').
He was noticeably silent throughout the brutal regime of dictator Sani Abacha in the '90s.
He denied having AIDS, even after diagnosed by his brother, who is a physician.

Why he might not be annoying:

He is considered the founder of a distinct musical genre (Afrobeat).
He had few musical imitators during his lifetime.
He was not afraid to accuse political leaders of corruption in many of his songs.
His father was a conservative Christian minister and his mother was a Marxist feminist leader.
Due to his influential mother, he met many leftist world leaders (Mao Tse-Tung, Fidel Castro).
He was imprisoned frequently for his criticizing government malfeasance.
During one arrest, he swallowed marijuana, while in custody the police waited to get the evidence 'from the back end' ('Expensive Shit').
A fellow prisoner provided him with a clean sample, and Fela was freed.

Credit: Mojosapien

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Appeared in White Face
• I Died in 1997 (Ranked: 58)
• I Have AIDS/HIV
• I Posed Almost Nude on My Album Cover
• I Sought Political Office
• I was Escorted Off an Airplane
• Look at Me, I Got My Hands Up
• Look at My Face Paint
• New Musical Express' Top Albums [1981] (Ranked: 14)
• Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Albums of the 1970's (Ranked: 90)
• Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Albums of the 1970's (Ranked: 78)
• Profiles 15001-15250 (Ranked: 15202)
• Q Magazine's 100 Greatest Musical Stars of the 20th Century (Ranked: 87)
• Rolling Stone’s 200 Greatest Singers of All Time [101-200] (Ranked: 188)
• Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - 401-500 [2020] (Ranked: 402)
• Spin's 50 Greatest Bands of All Time (Ranked: 35)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 30 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 19 Votes: 52.63% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 15 Votes: 73.33% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 7 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 24 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 31 Votes: 70.97% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 32 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 90 Votes: 74.44% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 103 Votes: 68.93% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 491 Votes: 68.43% Annoying